This is what the last 30 days have looked like for me. The collage above is representative of: • 4 weddings • 5 engagement sessions • 2 bridal fashion shows • 1 fashion/catalogue shoot • 6 museum exhibits photographed • 4 days photographing the Frieze New York Art Fair • Approximately 120 hours taking pictures • Approximately 8975 photos (after editing) Sure, it’s good to be busy. I’m not complaining about that. However, it’s a heavy workload, which made me think: it’s time to address the subject of ‘burnout.’ Being ‘burnt out’ can take many forms – feeling tired (physically and emotionally), lacking enthusiasm about your work, experiencing apathy, irritability, and frustration. None of those things are good for your pictures, your business, or your life! And you don’t have
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How to Use Keywords to Attract New Leads
Photo by Flickr User SuperBoreen In the online marketing world, everyone seems to be talking about keywords. But they’re missing something. Everyone is talking about search engines and the importance of SEO. And while it’s no secret that good SEO can go a long way in helping people find you, it’s not just about the search engines. It’s about the people who are searching. That’s where long tail keywords come in. Long tail keywords are very targeted search phrases that are usually easier to rank for and specifically focused on your niche audience. For example: “inbound marketing” = generic keyword “generate leads using inbound marketing” = long tail keyword If you can focus on long tail keywords that YOUR target audience is likely to be
The Sandwich Method
Want to hear about one of my favorite recipes of light? It looks like a million bucks, yet doesn’t cost much. And it’s yummy. It’s called “The Sandwich Method.” When I stumble on this kind of glamour lighting setup, especially in an abandoned railroad car, you might hear white- fronted capuchin monkey sounds like, “Ooo ooo ooo!” I admit, my clients don’t quite understand my ecstatic enthusiasm…until I show them their photograph in said lighting conditions! See? A picture really is worth a thousand words! I discovered this natural-lighting scenario when shooting my clients’ (Scott & Alyssa) portrait session. What an awesome discovery! I couldn’t have set my Alien Bees up to make this look any better; that’s the beauty of natural light. What amazed
Why Every Pro Photographer Should be a Pro People Watcher
I once had a client ask, “How do you get those amazing shots of emotional moments at weddings? How do you know when they’re going to happen? What’s the secret?” Do you want to know “the secret?” Come closer…a little closer…it’s called observation. That seems pretty obvious; a photographer translates what they observe through their camera to produce an image. But are you actively observing, or are you just clicking the shutter? The problem for many photographers is that they aren’t actually ‘seeing’ what is going on. The Art of People Watching “People Watching” is a time honored tradition where you sit and just watch the people passing by. It can be extremely entertaining, but it’s also informative. The next time you are out ‘people
On Location Lighting with Speedlites, Part 2 – Weddings
Some photographers have an aversion to using a flash. A photographer who once assisted me on weddings told me that he “never needed to use a flash.” Instead, he preferred to open the aperture as wide as it would go, and crank up the ISO! The problem is that you’ll end up with lots of noise in your photos and your depth of field is so small that if your subject moves slightly, you risk them being out of focus. Your flash is a tool – whether you use it all the time or sparingly, you should know when and how to use it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll shoot with available light as long as it’s ACTUALLY available and produces a great image. Unfortunately,
On Location Lighting With Speedlites Part 1 – Portraits
I like to travel light. Maybe it’s because I spent many years working without an assistant. Also, as I grow older, I don’t really like carrying a lot of equipment. You know what I mean, right? Aches and pains aren’t fun. So, instead of hauling hundreds of pounds of studio lighting equipment I decided that I would create a system for using my speedlites whenever I had to go on location – whether it’s for weddings, portraits, headshots, or fashion shoots. Here’s what I use on my shoots: • Speedlite (or two, depending on the size of the group or if you want a rim light) • Wireless Trigger (I use a Pocket Wizard Mini TT1 and Flex TT5) • Light Modifier (beauty dish, softbox,
Six Simple Tips for Creating Dynamic Ring Shots
One of my favorite parts of shooting weddings is capturing details. Couples customize their wedding to reflect their personalities, so it’s important to capture these intricacies that say so much about them. Combining those personal details with the couples’ wedding rings is crucial to creating dynamic ring shots. What you’ll need: a macro lens, rings, something from the wedding, off camera flash (with a modifier and light stand) or a video light. The number one mistake photographers make with ring shots is NOT using a macro lens. If you don’t have one, rent it! Here are six simple tips for creating dynamic ring shots: 1. Wait until all the “major stuff” is over – the first dance, cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc. It might take time
Tips for Booking and Rocking Same-Sex Wedding Shoots
Documenting the story of a same-sex wedding is really not that different from documenting the story of any wedding, at least from the perspective of a wedding photojournalist. In both, a photojournalist’s job is to capture the personalities, the emotions, the moments, the context and the details that work together to give viewers a sense of the love shared by the couple, their family and friends on that one special day. So, how do I go about booking same-sex weddings? 1) Seek this business only if you are truly supportive. If you have any reservations about the right of gays and lesbians to make meaningful, legal and sacred commitments to each other, that uncertainty will likely show when you meet with couples. 2) Make it
How to Collaborate with Clients to Create Inspiring Images
I am living my dream. It’s the truth. I wake up every day and create art. I’m sure many of you feel the same way. Beyond the blessings I feel that I have being a photographer, even more important to me is that I am shooting work that inspires me and others. I ask myself all the time, “What am I shooting that not only inspires me, but others as well?” If you are familiar with my work, you have seen an image of a bride facing a giraffe. It’s my favorite image right now and, admittedly, I’ve put it everywhere! The home page of my website, and on most of my marketing materials. I am asked often how I created this image. How was
Make More Money with Event Cards
If you’re an event photographer, there’s no better opportunity to reach your target market than at an actual event. No matter what kind of event it is — a wedding, mitzvah or birthday party — most of your client’s guests are potential NEW clients for you! Traditionally, client communities consist of similar socioeconomic classes and aesthetic preferences. So, the guests at that event this weekend are prime examples of your target market! And if your client liked you enough to hire you, then many of their guests might too. Don’t pass up an opportunity to market directly to them. Spread the word at the event – use event cards! Not only will you give them a take-away with your contact information, but you’ll also give them